[Spinal stenosis]

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Radiology
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Space conditions within the spine canal significantly influence neurological problems caused by spinal cord and nerve root compression.
• Accurate measurement of spinal canal dimensions (sagittal, interpedicular, interarticular, lateral recess width) is vital for diagnosing spinal stenosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the diagnostic approaches for spinal stenosis, emphasizing the role of imaging techniques.
• To highlight the advantages of computed tomography (CT) in spinal stenosis diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Spinal stenosis diagnosis involves standard spine X-rays (anterior-posterior and lateral views), CT scans, and myeloradiculography.
• CT is typically employed after initial X-rays, offering non-invasive imaging without projection distortion.
• Myeloradiculography is reserved for ambiguous CT findings or clinical-radiological discrepancies.

Main Results:

• CT demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing spinal stenosis.
• CT provides clear, distortion-free visualization of the spinal canal dimensions.
• Myeloradiculography is essential when CT results are inconclusive or do not correlate with clinical presentation.

Conclusions:

• Computed tomography is a highly effective and increasingly preferred method for diagnosing spinal stenosis.
• The non-invasive nature and accuracy of CT make it a cornerstone in the evaluation of spinal canal stenosis.
• Further integration of CT into diagnostic algorithms is anticipated for improved patient outcomes.